This uses two webservices (webmentions.io, Bridgy) and two Javascript libraries (Elventy, Preact) with who knows how many dependencies. Not exactly a simple setup.

If I ever get tempted to add comments to my (static site) blog, then I would rather add some simple PHP and keep it free of Javascript. I’m not tempted though because these days discussions seem to happen on the aggregators (like lobste.rs) anyways and I’m fine with that.

I’d probably also use a quick self-written script to process webmentions. If the project didn’t have any servers at all, I’d probably host it on AWS Lambda or similar.

The current status quo is, as you’ve pointed out, based around commenting happening on aggregators. An aggregator isn’t much different from say Facebook or other social media sites. If they decide to change policies or goes bankrupt, your content are often gone.

By utilizing your own domain to write comments, publish your own posts, or even giving a like/boost, you’re set for the future. You are in control of the content. The blog you’re interacting with can publish a copy inline with a link back to you, via a webmention. That way, if someone who has commented via their own site goes offline, you’d still have a meaningful comment section on your own site.

The only issue is how to find great content. This can be mitigated by following other sites. If a site you follow posts a comment or a like about a third site, you could check it out and maybe follow it as well.

Besides, you could feed comments from aggregators into your site, as the article describes when talking about Facebook. An issue I’ve been wondering about, without getting any clear answer to, is copyright. When a blog sends you a webmention, it’s some sort of message saying inlining the content is okay. Not sure if the same story goes for Facebook or aggregators. Would be great if someone has some insight they’d like to share.

It seems to me that Webmentions has not considered the legal aspects completely.

This copies comments from someone published elsewhere and republishes it on my site. Am I allowed to do that? The example in the article does not contain licence info (e.g. Creative Commons) which would explicitly allow republication.

I’m under german law, so I have to moderate what is commented on my website. I’m on the hook if someone publishes Nazi propaganda on my website. It seems that filtering (e.g. for spam) is not really thought through yet.

In total, I have no desire to inline any one line comment to my blog. What would be nice is (automatic) backlinks to other blog posts linking me and aggregators (HN discussion page). I once tried to track referrers for that but (at least for my audience) referrers are useless today.

Completely agree on the copyright issue. That one has bothered me for a while. I haven’t implemented webmentions on my site because of that. I could refrain from inlining the content and rather just provide a link, but I’m not sure if that is too poor of an user experience.

You don’t have to publish webmentions automatically. You could review them and only publish if you deem them sane and spam-free – just as you would with regular comments.

The current status quo is, as you’ve pointed out, based around commenting happening on aggregators. An aggregator isn’t much different from say Facebook or other social media sites. If they decide to change policies or goes bankrupt, your content are often gone.

The problem with this line of reasoning is that a lot of content aggregators, particularly the big names like Reddit and Stack Overflow, outlive the blogs they link to and crib from. Not the other way around.

It has no dependency on any external JS-library, only has its own small cacheable one that progressively enhances links to mention lists, so works without JS as well, the comments just won’t get in
Inked but linked to and they of course won’t be real time updated without the JS either.